Just throwing it out there. It seems like these two franchises are building teams that will be in contention for years to come and they probably have the two best defenses in the league. With Baltimore and Pittsburgh both going through rebuilding on defense and more reliant on their passing attacks than in the past, I feel like that rivarly is no longer the best hard-nosed defensive showcase. We'll have to wait and see what games they give us in the future, but this seems like it could become one of the nastiest rivarlies in the league real quick. These games could become real bloodbaths, especially by todays standards.

i think the seahawks and niners being co-favorites for the superbowl is a bit pre mature....thats banking on kaepernick and wilson not regressing at all which is possible, but weve seen time and time again when a guy lights it up as a young player but has a sort of down year the following year and fails to even touch the expectations they set for themselves.

Wilson is a good QB and he got real hot last year, but i dont think that makes him a lock for superstardom for the foreseeable future

Meh, it's that entire division that's on the rise, not just Seattle and SF.
People are already forgetting the Rams have two first round picks this year AND next. They beat the 49ers in 2012.

There are going to be some major battles happening in the NFCW for almost a decade.

Good point. The Rams were 2-1-1 against Seattle and San Fran., not sure they're quaking in their boots over any dominance looking down the road. The Hawks and Niners are in contention now but it can change real quick.

San Fran was really hoping to get that ring this year. There is no certainty of making the playoffs with that division getting more and more competitive.

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Originally Posted by 49erNation85

I wouldn't be sir prized if he passed McCoy on the depth chart. I think he might have a better arm and accurate arm then him from the highlights I thought. He also got some wheels too help us prepare for QB's as Wilson , RG3 and other runners etc.

I was thinking the same thing when the Boldin and Harvin trades were made, but I'm not sure I'd anoint these teams the next big rivalry. There headed there, certainly, but there's no guarantees in football.

I expect to see some regression from Russell Wilson and I think the team overpaid for Harvin. Lynch will keep the team competitive, and we'll see how good their defense is without Gus Bradley as DC.

As for the Niners, their defense looked really average when Justin Smith was out, and he's an old guy. Their secondary is garbage too, and the pass rush they had masked that deficiency in the past.

I'm excited about the Rams as well. I've always loved Jeff Fisher as a coach who can get the most out of his players; the Rams had success against the Hawks/Niners this year; and they'll have plenty of chances to stockpile talent so long as they draft wisely (which looks good going on last year's draft). Maybe the Rams would become the Bengals of this rivalry...

The NFL is entering an era where the cap dollars will be staying pretty stagnant maybe for the next decade. That will likely result in teams not being able to build a dynasty that can last more than a couple of years. We are already seeing the effects on teams that were near their cap limit when a large portion of their starters reached FA all at once and it isn't pretty.

Seattle and San Fran were basically young teams with a lot of draft picks still on their rookie contracts, that means in the near future when these players reach FA, a potential boatload of talent could be lost all at once.
It looks to me that a trend may develop where younger teams build for a relatively short period where they make a successful run at a Super Bowl Championship only to be dismantled shortly after.

I wanted to say eff no, but I guess I could even see the NFC West turning into the AFC North with StL always on the cusp of catching up and Arizona always rebuilding like the Bengals and Browns, respectively.

I think its a great point that the Rams should be entering the mix. I dont see them contending for the West this year, but they are moving in the right direction. They have some excellent pieces in Bradford, Chris Long, Laurinitis, Janoris Jenkins, Finnegan, Givens, Richardson....Also, in terms of value the trade-down they made last year was one of the best Ive ever seen in terms of value. Of course RG3 turned out to be the real deal, but the Rams didnt need a QB and they set themselves up with a lot of picks for the upcoming years and should be able to build a great base of talent. Fisher is a good coach, and they are def a team on the rise.

But as far as SEA-SF, I see both these teams as contenders, and I dont see anything fluky about their success. I think it will be sustained. Both QBs I think are much more than just runners operating an option offense. Regardless of whether or not the option offense remains effective in the NFL, I think these guys both have brighthey are both natural throwers, hard workers, born leaders.

As far as the general talent on both teams moving forward...The 49ers already have a lot of their best players locked up in long term deals. If they woulda kept Goldson, they woulda had all the key guys on their D locked up. They arent spending big bucks in FA because they know they will be spending their money keeping their talent in house. They know they need to extend their OL, and in a couple years guys like Aldon Smith, Crabtree and Kaep will need extensions as well, but the 49ers should have the cap room to keep em. Also, they have tons of draft picks, so should have no problem continuing to bring in a stream of young talent.

The Seahawks are a very young team, with a lot of guys with foreseeable future years on rookie contracts. I dont see them fading anytime soon.

Also of importance, they both have good, forward-thinking coaches that players respond to. Both SEA and SF are suddenly top FA destinations, with guys who want to play for contenders being willing to take less money to play for them, which really makes a big difference,

Zonas not that bad either, some very good pieces defensively there, and if they can just get the OL and QB situation figured out, the offense can be good seeing as they have a future HOF receiver still in his prime.

I think the Rams absolutely will be contending in the West this year. They had a huge turnaround last year, and have a lot of momentum. While they haven't made the huge splash in FA that Seattle and San Francisco have, I think they are building a strong core of talent that is every bit as strong as their counterparts. Bradford is due for a breakout year. Our defense is very strong and getting better. I see us finishing with 10-11 wins. While that doesn't necessarily put us in the driver's seat, it certainly puts us in the running.

I think the Rams absolutely will be contending in the West this year. They had a huge turnaround last year, and have a lot of momentum. While they haven't made the huge splash in FA that Seattle and San Francisco have, I think they are building a strong core of talent that is every bit as strong as their counterparts. Bradford is due for a breakout year. Our defense is very strong and getting better. I see us finishing with 10-11 wins. While that doesn't necessarily put us in the driver's seat, it certainly puts us in the running.

People are sleeping on the Rams. They need maybe a couple more playmakers on offense and a few pieces upfront to solidify that Oline, and automatically they're one of the best young talented teams in the NFL.

I think the Rams absolutely will be contending in the West this year. They had a huge turnaround last year, and have a lot of momentum. While they haven't made the huge splash in FA that Seattle and San Francisco have, I think they are building a strong core of talent that is every bit as strong as their counterparts. Bradford is due for a breakout year. Our defense is very strong and getting better. I see us finishing with 10-11 wins. While that doesn't necessarily put us in the driver's seat, it certainly puts us in the running.

SF hasn't really made a "splash". They signed Glenn Dorsey, Dan Skuta, and Craig Dahl (cue the lol's). The total contract values of all 3 combined (about 15-16M) are less than Jared Cook's guaranteed money. I would say the Rams made a bigger splash in FA, at least financially.

The only big splash was Boldin. I'm excited about adding him. And i wouldn't mind Nnamdi or Woodson either but tbh i would rather start fresh in the draft.

Gus is a great coach, but Pete has always had the final say in defensive play calling...all the way back to his days at SC. The new DC and him will call plays together.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 49erNation85

I wouldn't be sir prized if he passed McCoy on the depth chart. I think he might have a better arm and accurate arm then him from the highlights I thought. He also got some wheels too help us prepare for QB's as Wilson , RG3 and other runners etc.

SF hasn't really made a "splash". They signed Glenn Dorsey, Dan Skuta, and Craig Dahl (cue the lol's). The total contract values of all 3 combined (about 15-16M) are less than Jared Cook's guaranteed money. I would say the Rams made a bigger splash in FA, at least financially.

The only big splash was Boldin. I'm excited about adding him. And i wouldn't mind Nnamdi or Woodson either but tbh i would rather start fresh in the draft.

Well the Niners offseason started off with a bang when they got all those picks for Alex Smith. Since then, Im not really feeling it, but there is still plenty of time for them to change it. They let Dashon Goldson go, huge mistake IMO. But if they sign the right guy to replace him, my mind could be changed. As of now, theyve signed Craig Dahl, and it would be a massive mistake to start him at FS. If hes there for special teams and backup/special package purposes thats fine. Niners should be going hard after Ed Reed, who would be the missing piece to make this one of the best defenses ever. If they sign Namdhi, I think that could work out quite well. C Wood would be a nice addition. Glenn Dorsey I like the signing, but it depends what theyre planning on doing with him. Making a him a 3-4 NT would be a mistake IMO. But of course the draft will be a big deal. The 49ers can add a lot of talent there, as can the Rams. The Seahawks wont have much to work with on draft day, but they have insane talent on the roster so theyll be OK.

Well the Niners offseason started off with a bang when they got all those picks for Alex Smith. Since then, Im not really feeling it, but there is still plenty of time for them to change it. They let Dashon Goldson go, huge mistake IMO. But if they sign the right guy to replace him, my mind could be changed. As of now, theyve signed Craig Dahl, and it would be a massive mistake to start him at FS. If hes there for special teams and backup/special package purposes thats fine. Niners should be going hard after Ed Reed, who would be the missing piece to make this one of the best defenses ever. If they sign Namdhi, I think that could work out quite well. C Wood would be a nice addition. Glenn Dorsey I like the signing, but it depends what theyre planning on doing with him. Making a him a 3-4 NT would be a mistake IMO. But of course the draft will be a big deal. The 49ers can add a lot of talent there, as can the Rams. The Seahawks wont have much to work with on draft day, but they have insane talent on the roster so theyll be OK.

I'm not too worried about most of the FA's we let go. They are 2nd and 3rd tier players and we've had no problem replacing a similar tier of players in the 2011 and 2012 offseasons with upgrades from the draft, low-cost FA, and players already on the team.

I do think losing Goldson was a blow but i realize there are financial implications alongside the talent. Can't sign everybody and probably not a smart thing to give a giant deal to a soon to be 29 year old FS. Although i think he will at least have immediate success with Tampa and they had the cap room to fit him.

As for the roles of the FA's, Dorsey is the 1-gap NT in a similar mold to Ratliff (what i'm reading from the 49ers brass/beat writers), Skuta is a ST ace, and Dahl is a backup/STer who will compete for the starting job with a rookie. And Boldin will start opposite Crabtree.

Its all about the draft though, so its tough to get a good look either way. Baalke always addresses needs so we'll get a S and CB among others no question, its just a question if the players filling those needs are good or not (which is an obvious concern). FA for SF is a big "meh" so far, but the top goal was not to overspend and preserve the cap for the future.